The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1887-02-09
DAYTON LETTER.

l spent the last sunday In jan
uary very pleasantly in Parkers-
burg and intended to return In a
few days and call on a number of
people. This, however, was pre-
vented by q telegram calling me
home because of the illness of our
little boy, Carl.
heard much about the amend
ment," and many expressed the
hope that it would be submitted.
To my mind there has not been at
any time probability Of this be-
ing done. 1t is understood among
the politicians that this question
shall never 20 down to the people.
The liquor power is supreme in
political circles and will be for q
time.
Now the leaders sneer at Prohi.
bition: after while they will be
on their knees to Prohibitionists.
In West Virginia, Republicans and
Democrats are ready to cut the
throats of each other on every mat
ter except Prohibition, when both
vote against it in sufficient num-
bers to defeat it. If all the Repub-
lican Senators had voted for it, the
amendment would have been a.
doptsd. The Republicans being in
the minority in the State could
well afford to favor the amendment
if it were not for the exigencies of
the party in other States.
No one who has carefully studied
the underlying principles and
aims of political parties, has any
hope that they will ever trust the
people with the settlement of the
question of the liquor traffic. Each
party needs tho influence of the
saloon to aid it to carry elections,
and neither party is willing to go
into campaign with the saloon
influence against it.
We have what is known as the
Criminal Class. Three-fourths of
this class is the spaion of the saloon
and so long as the legalized liquor
trffic continues, this dangerous class
will exist. The criminal class large
ly control elections and in ten years
will do so in every case. This class
is increasing more rapidly in pro-
portion than the population. This
increase results from several causes.
I. From the saloon which robs
and degrades the family, and drives
the children into the criminal
class.
2. There is the natural increase
by birth. Every boy and girl born
in certain homes will enter the
criminal class.
3. The comparatively few who
are really punished for crime. Ma
ny are never arrested for the rea-
son that in many instances police
men are themselves unconvicted
criminals.
Men elected to the Legislature
by the vote of the criminal class
will favor that class as far as pos
eible hence our Criminal Code is
full of holes through which the
worst men escape sometimes. Then
we have "the great crimi nal law
yer" who has dedicated himself to
the work of cheating justice, out
raging society and making it pos
sible for bad men to violate law,
with but little risk. Everywhere
men are standing in the presence
of increasing municipal corruption,
and deploring it, yet doing nothing
to destroy it.
Legislators know these things
very we'll, but will see to it
that not quite votes enough are
given to start real Reform.
You will be surprised when I
say that I am glad there was one
vote wanting.
The breach is not wide enough.
The church is too near the saloon.
The army of Prohibition needs more
training. Many protesting Tenn
perance men do not hate the saloon
half as much as they hate the
"Third Party" and this must be
changed before it will be safe to
commence the final battle.